Two students from Alpine School District’s Vision Special Education Services program earned recognition for their achievements in the Braille Challenge, a national academic competition aimed at promoting braille literacy among students who are blind or visually impaired.
Duke, a third-grade student, and Skylee, a fifth-grade student, both secured first place in their respective divisions at the state level. In the context of this competition, the Freshman division includes grades 3–4, while the Sophomore division includes grades 5–6.
Organized by the Braille Institute of America, the Braille Challenge requires participants to complete rigorous tasks such as reading comprehension, spelling, proofreading, and interpreting charts and graphs in braille. Students may also transcribe audio passages into braille using proper contractions or identify errors in braille text.
Rather than racing against others in real time, students are scored individually based on accuracy and performance. Regional winners in Utah are determined by the highest composite scores within their divisions.
Duke expressed excitement when his name was announced as the first place winner of the Freshman division. Skylee noted that she always looks forward to the challenge because of the fun environment and the kindness of others.
The impact of these literacy skills extends to the students' home lives, according to Kimberly Mundy, the mother of Duke and Skylee. She expressed gratitude for the teachers who helped build strong braille skills from a young age, noting the increased independence her children have gained.
Advancing to the national finals is a major milestone, as only top-performing students are invited to participate in the selective event featuring competitors from across North America. Duke has been invited to participate as one of 50 candidates in the national competition.
